


Spirit

by opalescent_cheetah



Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Spirits, F/F, Fantasy, Fluff, Light Angst, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:07:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23309632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/opalescent_cheetah/pseuds/opalescent_cheetah
Summary: "It’s some sort of… devil, she thinks, but she can’t be sure. It has a pair of small, golden horns sprouting from its forehead, and its body is covered in a layer of short red fur that seems to sparkle in the artificial lights, curls of glittering hair framing its round face. The most normal thing about it is the 16th-century ruff around its neck."Gigi finally meets the spirit that has haunted the abandoned warehouse for ten years. Nothing goes the way she expects it to.
Relationships: Gigi Goode/Crystal Methyd, Gigi Goode/Nicky Doll
Comments: 32
Kudos: 103





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Naturally, my exponentially growing love for Crystal Methyd and for fantasy has resulted in this: a little thing full of magical shenanigans.
> 
> Thank you so much to Rusty for beta-ing!

The doors fall shut with a loud _CLANG_ , sending a gust of metallic wind in Gigi’s direction and plunging the room into darkness. She jumps, suddenly disoriented, and stumbles back the way she came, trembling fingers pushing and prying at the cold metal of the door handle. 

It won’t budge. She shakes it, rattles it, but it’s unyielding, cold and dead in her sweaty palms. 

_Are you some sort of coward?_

A scream tears loose from her throat. She kicks the door.

_Go in the haunted warehouse, Gigi. Go on._

The door shudders violently, but remains firmly shut. How old is this thing? She kicks it again.

_Are you scared? Hah! Look at her, she’s terrified!_

“Let me _out!”_ she howls, voice echoing pathetically in the abandoned warehouse. Tears are gathering in her eyes when she hears movement behind her - there’s a shuffling sound and the _crash_ of something heavy falling. Gigi sucks in a shaky breath. 

“Finally!”

The voice is unfamiliar.

“It’s been _way_ too long. Wow,” the stranger continues, and Gigi presses her back against the door, her heart in her throat, her very bones hollowed out with fear. She wants to shout a reply into the darkness, but the words won’t come. She can’t move, can’t see - every limb is stiff with terror.

“Wait, wait, I think I’ve got it…”

She hears a snap, and suddenly there’s fire, flickering lazily against the eerie black. She glances past it, meeting red eyes and a shining, toothy grin. 

For a moment Gigi can only stand, paralysed with fear, lungs heaving with shuddering breaths.

And then she screams. 

It’s a wordless wail of absolute horror. She’s sure she’s about to die.

“Geez Louise, the years really must’ve done a number on me, huh?” A clap, and the fire goes out. “Do people still say that? Whatever, you get my point. There better be a damn mirror in here somewhere.” 

“Let me _out!”_ Gigi shrieks again, broken voice echoing hollowly in the cold warehouse air. She lunges blindly at the creature, fists flying, eyes hot with tears.

“Woah, woah, calm down!” 

The voice whirls past Gigi’s ear and she stumbles, flailing her arms into nothingness. Once she’s regained her balance, she looks around in vain, unable to see anything but the tiny stripe of gold light beneath the door. 

“Let me out,” Gigi growls into the darkness, struggling to keep her voice from trembling. “Open that _goddamn_ door right now!” 

“That’s not within the range of my capabilities, I’m afraid,” the creature says calmly. At least it has the decency to sound a little bashful. “I can turn the lights on for you, though, if you’d like to have your sight back.” 

Gigi swallows. A beat of silence passes between them - she doesn’t even hear the creature move.

“That… would be nice.” 

A moment later, white factory lights flicker on overhead, crackling with years of inoperation. Gigi glances sidewards to see the creature standing near the lightboard, squinting at the ceiling. 

It’s some sort of… devil, she thinks, but she can’t be sure. It has a pair of small, golden horns sprouting from its forehead, and its body is covered in a layer of short red fur that seems to sparkle in the artificial lights, curls of glittering hair framing its round face. The most normal thing about it is the 16th-century ruff around its neck. 

“You know,” it says suddenly, “a thank-you might be nice as well.” 

Gigi tenses when the creature turns to look at her, but its eyes are alight with curiosity - there is less malevolence in its small, shy smile than in the faces of some of her friends. 

“...Thanks,” she mumbles, and the creature grins. 

“It’s been a while since I’ve heard one of those,” it tells her, carefully stepping closer. “In fact, it’s been a while since I’ve heard anyone say anything at all.” It stops a metre away from her, its tail flicking pleasantly behind it as it sticks out a hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Crystal.”

The name makes sense, Gigi thinks to herself; the creature - Crystal - is glittering all over like a thousand blood-red fireflies. 

“Gigi,” she replies, staring at Crystal’s outstretched paw. She doesn’t take it.

After a moment, Crystal sheepishly withdraws her arm. “I guess people don’t do that anymore.” 

“Why can’t you open the door?” Gigi asks, blatantly ignoring her question. 

“I’m not the one who shut it.” Crystal shrugs, an air of nonchalance about her. Gigi’s heart stops, right then and there, and her blood turns to ice. 

“It wasn’t you? You swear on it?”

“It wasn’t me, I promise. I can’t shut doors from that far away.”

Gigi has to take a seat. She slumps to the ground, reality slapping her twice round the face, leaving her cheeks hot and eyes stinging. She doesn’t want to believe Crystal, she really doesn’t - she wants to scream and cry and call her a liar, but there is too much sincerity in those inhuman eyes. It takes her a moment to realise she’s crying.

“Wow. Uh. Sorry, I guess?” Crystal’s voice edges its way through the cracks in Gigi’s fragmented thoughts, pulling her back to reality.

“Don’t be.” Gigi wipes her eyes with the back of her sleeve. “I just - I just can’t believe--” Her breath hitches in her throat, tears dribbling down her chin. 

Crystal crouches on goat-like legs beside her, still keeping a reasonable distance. She’s quiet, and Gigi can see her biting her lips, eyes darting awkwardly around the warehouse at anything that isn’t Gigi’s tearstained face. 

“I--”

“God, this is so stupid.” Gigi pauses. “Sorry.”

“No, no, keep talking. I’m listening.”

“My friends dared me to come in here,” Gigi admits. “They were calling me a coward, and I… I wanted to prove myself.” Her voice breaks, and she buries her face in her hands, mumbling through her fingers. “I’m so fucking dumb.” 

“So _they_ locked the door?” Crystal asks quietly, and Gigi nods. “Wow, that’s… they sound like. Uh. Lovely friends.”

“I can’t believe I fell for it. Nicky said I was stupid to keep trying to hang out with them, but… god, I don’t know. I just wanted to be cool.” 

“Well… _I_ think you’re pretty cool,” Crystal offers. 

“You don’t even know me.”

Crystal surprises her by giggling, hiding her smile behind her hand. 

“You’re the only person I’ve seen in _ages_ , so therefore, you’re cool, since I have no-one else to compare you to.” 

Gigi exhales in a breathy laugh. “Wow. Thanks, I guess. I’ll take what I can get.” 

“No problem!”

In the silence that follows, Gigi looks around the warehouse, taking in her surroundings. Apart from the creature sitting next to her, everything seems to be fairly normal. 

Well, except for the fact that almost every box is overturned, shelves spilling over with loose objects - there is no possible way to describe the mess that lies before her. 

“How long have you been alone here?” she asks Crystal, unable to hide the incredulity from her voice. Crystal, having started shuffling through one of many boxes brimming with randomness, turns around to look at her again. 

“That’s a very good question,” she replies, thoughtfully tapping her tail on the hard concrete. “I don’t know. Months? Years? Maybe decades. I… don’t get out often.” 

Gigi thinks back to when the rumours started, back when she was only five or six, and people told tales of the horrors they’d seen in the warehouse. It’s been abandoned for years, but sitting here now, Gigi finds herself wondering what they were all so scared of. 

“Wait, wait. Can’t you just leave? The door’s been open for, like, ever.” 

Crystal shrugs. “Curses are weird.”

“You’re _cursed_? Is that why you’re…” she bites her lip, not wanting to sound offensive, “...red?”

Crystal blinks down at herself, as though only just remembering how she looks. 

“No, no, that’s got nothing to do with it,” she smirks, and suddenly there’s a tall, humanoid figure standing in her place, with a billowing shawl and a dozen beaded necklaces, grey-tipped hair haloed around her face. A moment later, the sparkling crimson creature returns, lips curled in a shit-eating grin. “I can look however I want - red is just my natural colour. But I’m here serving some, like, spirit jail-sentence or something. I don’t really know. They said I can go back when I finish some sort of moral task, I guess, but I’ve been trapped in this place for _ages_ and nothing ever happens.” 

“So you’re just... stuck here? You can’t leave the warehouse?”

“Yep. I’ve tried a million times, but it’s like there’s some sort of invisible barrier around it.” Crystal shrugs, turning away from Gigi to return to rummaging through her box. 

It isn’t hard to tell that Crystal’s nonchalant facade is faked. She’s got her back to Gigi now, her tail flicking restlessly from side to side. 

“You must get so lonely,” Gigi murmurs. All of a sudden, every year she’s spent at school struggling to make friends seems like a breeze. At least she _can_ make friends - Crystal’s been abandoned here for years, alone, with nothing but hundreds of overturned boxes to keep her company. 

Her shoulders droop in a sad, humourless laugh. “I guess so. But it’s fine! I mean, how could it not be, when I have all this stuff to myself?” She pulls out a jacket covered in bright patterns and beads and shrugs it on in one swift movement. “Like, look at this. It doesn’t get any better than this.” 

Pity spears itself through Gigi’s chest. “I’m sorry.”

“Pfft, don’t be. It’s kind of my fault that nobody comes by anymore.” Crystal digs around in the box again, triumphantly pulling out a small, cracked mirror. “Ahah! Found it. ...Wow, I don’t look as bad as I was expecting. You sorely overreacted, you know.” 

“Are you really as scary as they say?” Gigi asks, her fascination getting the better of her.

“I used to be, I guess, but people stopped coming and it got boring. Why, what have you heard?” Crystal absent-mindedly pulls at one of her fiery curls, watching in the mirror as it springs back in place. 

“I’ve heard… lots of things.” Gigi thinks back to the tales that haunted much of her youth. “Like, an enormous creature of fire. And sentient ice cream--”

Crystal finally looks up again, cutting her off with a burst of laughter. “Oh, that was one of my _favourites_! I don’t know if the people who came in that day were morbidly terrified or just thought they were going completely nuts.” 

“I’d say the latter, to be honest,” Gigi admits with a giggle. 

“Yeah.” Crystal grins. “Hey, do _you_ wanna see the ice cream monster?”

“I’m good, thanks.” Gigi is content to leave that much up to her imagination. 

“Aw, shame.” Crystal waggles her fingers in Gigi’s direction, and for a moment her hand turns into ice cream, glittering like it’s covered in frozen jewels. “Let me know if you change your mind!” 

Gigi laughs, still in utter disbelief that this is really happening to her. She’s sitting across from a spirit in the form of a goat-legged demon, with one outstretched paw made entirely of ice cream. It feels like a fever dream. 

“Anyways,” Crystal goes on, returning her hand to normal, “while you’re stuck in here, want to go through some boxes with me?” She rummages around nearby, pulling out a long, cone-shaped, gold-and-green hat and placing it gently behind her horns. “There’s a _ton_ of stuff here that I totally forgot about.” 

“Are you sure there’s no other way out?” Gigi bites her lip, avoiding the offer. The door behind her is still firmly locked. 

Crystal blinks, her bright smile wilting at the edges. 

“There’s a door at the back, but it’s usually locked too… hey, how about I take you on a tour of the warehouse?” Her tone is quietly hopeful, and Gigi’s heart aches despite itself. 

“Sure. I’d love that.” She pauses when Crystal offers her a hand - it’s warm, as though her palms still spark with flame, and there is strength in Crystal’s grip when she pulls her up. “Thanks.” 

“No problem.” Crystal smiles easily at her, twining her tail around Gigi’s wrist to pull her along as she dashes between the rows and rows of storage shelves. There isn’t much to show except boxes, crates and piles and piles of mismatched objects, but Crystal manages to sound excited about it all anyways. 

And then they reach the back of the warehouse, where an imposing set of double doors gleam in the artificial light. Gigi pulls her wrist free, scrambling towards them with her heart in her throat. She wiggles the handle, desperate, and--

Nothing happens.

She chokes back tears. How long is she going to be stuck here for? Internally, she curses the people she called her friends and her own stupidity for allowing herself to be dragged into this. 

A gentle hand on her shoulder grounds her, and she looks over to see Crystal, red eyes swimming with sympathy. 

“I’m sorry. I did try to warn you,” she says, and she’s close enough for Gigi to see her fangs.

“Are you - are you sure you can’t open it?” Gigi asks, a childlike whine on the edge of her tongue. She hates how pathetic she sounds. 

“I’m sure,” Crystal promises. “My powers are limited to shapeshifting and fire.” She snaps her fingers, and a small burst of flame flickers briefly at the tips of her claws. “And trust me, I’ve tried burning this place down before. It worked as well as you’d expect.” 

“Fuck.” Gigi rests her head against the cold metal. “What am I going to _do_?”

There’s a moment’s silence, and all Gigi can hear is her own heavy breathing. 

“You could… stay here with me, I guess?” Crystal offers. 

“Yes, but--” as much as Gigi pities her, Crystal is supposedly the story of nightmares, and Gigi doesn’t want to stay for long enough to find out why. “I - I need food, and clean clothes, and - well - _human_ things.” She fishes around in her pocket, finally resorting to calling someone for help. 

Gigi can feel Crystal’s curious eyes on her, her gaze tracking every tiny movement as she unlocks her phone. Her pointed ears prick with shocked delight when Gigi raises the device to her ear, and for a moment Gigi wonders how good her hearing is. She turns her back to Crystal as a tinny voice crackles through. 

_“Gigi! Hey, what’s up?”_

“Nicky! I’m stuck in the--”

_“Oh my god, girl, you did not.”_

“Shut up! I know it was dumb, but I--”

“Gigi! I told you they were only going to hurt you. Why do you keep trying to be friends with them?” Nicky’s voice is edged with pain, and it pricks at Gigi’s skin like needles. 

“I don’t… I don’t know.” 

_“So what have they done to you now? Locked you up in the haunted warehouse?”_

“Yes, that’s… exactly what happened.” 

_“You’re so fucking stupid.”_

“I know, I know, can you just-- _fuck!”_

Gigi is abruptly bowled over by the force of Crystal’s excitement, leaving her sprawled on her back, winded and annoyed. Crystal sits pleasantly on her stomach and pries the phone from her fingers. 

“Hello!” she yells eagerly at the phone before raising it to her ear. “Oh my gosh! This really _is_ a talking box! I can’t believe it. Hi! I’m Crystal!”

Gigi watches as Crystal’s cheerful expression morphs into an affronted frown, her bottom lip jutting out in a pout. After a moment, she tosses the phone roughly onto Gigi’s chest.

“Your talking box is mean. Tell it to learn some manners.” 

Gigi manages a laugh, Crystal’s weight on her stomach still making it hard to breathe. 

_“Gigi! GIGI!”_

“I’m here, I’m here.”

_“Gigi, who the fuck was that?”_

“The spirit that’s been haunting this place for the last decade.”

“Ohh, so it’s been a decade,” Crystal gasps above her, quietly astonished. 

_“Wait, it’s actually haunted?”_ Nicky asks, startled. _“Gigi, please tell me you’re alright. Are you hurt? Did it do anything to you?”_

“No, no, I’m fine, I’m just - I’m just kind of locked in here right now.” Her voice shakes, and she blames it on the fact she can’t quite breathe properly. 

_“I’m coming to get you. Hang in there, okay? I won’t be long, I promise.”_

“Thanks, Nicky,” Gigi whispers, gratitude a hard lump in her throat. 

“Nicky’s much too nice a name for such a nasty box,” Crystal tells her once she puts the phone back down. 

“Please let me up,” Gigi gasps, wheezing with laughter. Crystal huffs before she complies, pulling Gigi to her feet again. She dusts off her clothes before asking incredulously, “you’ve never seen a phone before? They existed ten years ago.” 

“Woah, wait! So _that’s_ what a phone looks like?”

“Yeah--”

Before she knows it, Crystal has twined her prehensile tail around the device and plucked it straight out of Gigi’s hands. Gigi watches as she holds it up in front of her face, inspecting it, before tapping lightly on the screen and gasping delightedly when it flares to life. 

“Hey! Look! That’s you...” Crystal points at Gigi’s smiling face, staring back at her from Gigi’s lockscreen. “And who’s this? She’s pretty.” 

“That’s Nicky.” Gigi’s chest warms at the sight of her. 

“Wait, the one you were just talking to?” Crystal scrunches up her nose in distaste. “But she’s so mean! Why do you like her so much?” 

Gigi laughs - Crystal’s first impression of Nicky hardly surprises her. 

“Yeah, she can be pretty intense, but she’s really fun once you get to know her.” Gigi sighs quietly, skin suddenly crawling with guilt - this whirlwind of a morning has really put things into perspective for her. Nicky was right, and she sees it now; it was stupid to go chasing after people who didn’t care about her simply for a vote of popularity. Gigi looks at Nicky’s gentle, charming smile and aches. 

And then the phone begins to ring, vibrating softly in Crystal’s tail. She jerks backwards, so surprised she nearly drops it. 

“Jackie,” she reads aloud, slow and careful, testing the shape of every syllable on her tongue. She glances sidewards at Gigi, a devilish grin spreading across her face. 

“Crystal, whatever you’re planning--”

“Accept call!” she yells delightedly, pressing the button with gusto. 

“No-- stop-- Crystal!”

She twirls away from Gigi, tapping the phone again.

“Speaker!”

_“Hello? Gigi?”_ a concerned voice rattles through the phone. 

“Hello!” Crystal says cheerfully before her skull transforms into something dark and shapeless, her voice little more than an ominous rumbling. “Welcome to the apocalypse,” she intones, and Gigi can see her biting back a grin, stark white fangs on display. 

_“Gigi! Gigi, are you there? Is everything okay?”_

“Jackie! Hi! Yes, everything’s fine!” Gigi exclaims, before Crystal can get another word in. 

“The world is ending,” Crystal growls. “Death is imminent!” 

_“Gigi, what in the world is going on? Nicky said you’re stuck in the old warehouse, and that it really is haunted, but I didn’t want to believe her.”_

“No, it is,” Gigi tells her, sharing a secret smile with Crystal. “I’m afraid you got the bad side of my new friend, though.” 

Crystal’s eyes soften as her head shifts back to normal. “We’re _friends?”_ she squeaks, and her face is alight with such childlike joy that Gigi’s heart melts. 

_“Your friend?”_ Jackie questions, not quite sharing in Crystal’s delight. 

“Yeah. She’s keeping me company while I’m stuck in here.”

“Hellooo!” Crystal purrs into the phone. “Don’t worry, I’m very nice. I’m just a little devil that likes to raise hell in the Bible Belt.” 

“How long did it take you to think of that one?” Gigi grins.

“Well, to be fair, I had ten years and several crates of old books at my disposal.” 

_“Gigi, you’re sure you’re okay?”_ Jackie’s voice crackles through the phone again, thick with worry. 

“One hundred percent,” Gigi replies, warm with Jackie’s kind concern. “Crystal was just messing with you. Everything’s fine.” 

Jackie breathes out in a whoosh of air. _“Call me if anything happens, okay? Nicky’s already on her way.”_

“Will do. Thanks, Jackie.”

_“Stay safe.”_

The call cuts off, and Crystal tosses the phone back, looking far too proud of herself. Watching her, Gigi can’t help but think that for a moment back there, she’d been eye-to-eye with the monster from the stories.

“Crystal…” 

“Yes?”

There’s a playful gleam in her candy-apple eyes. Maybe it was always that way - there is no malice in the cool air.

“Why did you stop scaring people?” Gigi asks. _What made you spare me?_

Crystal toys with the edges of her kaleidoscopic jacket, her gaze darting away.

“I got kinda lonely.” There’s the briefest of pauses before her bright smile returns and she flicks Gigi’s forehead with her tail. “But now you’re here, so everything’s okay!”

“...It was always just for fun, wasn’t it?”

Crystal lets out a short, dry laugh, looking slightly unnerved. “What’s with all the personal questions all of a sudden?” 

“No, I’m just--” sheepishly, Gigi scratches the back of her neck. “Sorry. I’m just curious. Everyone always used to say there was a monster here, that we couldn’t come play here anymore because it’d kill us.” 

Crystal’s face drops. The wounded look in her eyes doesn’t suit her.

“They really thought that?” Crystal’s voice is suddenly small. “I never meant to hurt anyone. It’s… it’s just like you said. It was all for fun. Gosh, no wonder everyone avoided me for so long.” 

Gigi can see it clearly now, should’ve been able to see it from the moment Crystal lit that small burst of flame in the darkness. 

“God, I’m sorry,” she says. “I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“No, I’m glad you did,” Crystal assures her. “I guess I need to work on being nicer.”

“If it helps, I think you’re doing a good job.”

Crystal ignores the compliment in favour of removing her tall, cone-shaped hat and placing it gently atop Gigi’s head. 

“There, perfect,” she giggles, and Gigi is pleased to see joy returning in a golden flush to her cheeks. “I feel much better.” 

Gigi strikes a pose, pretending she’s on the front cover of a fashion magazine. “How do I look?”

“Awful. Terrible. It suits you.” 

Shrieking with indignant laughter, Gigi swats Crystal’s shoulder. “Okay, nope, you still have _lots_ of character building to do, you nasty little devil.”

Crystal’s body suddenly begins to grow, her features changing until she’s an enormous, black-horned beast, her face fixed in a permanent snarl. “Did someone call?”

“I said _little_ ,” Gigi laughs.

Crystal flicks her lightly with the spade-shaped tip of her tail. “Shut up. I’m much cooler this way.” 

“I think I prefer the regular you. She’s much easier to talk to,” Gigi tells her - she’s craning her neck to see Crystal’s face and mostly getting an eyeful of the inside of her nose.

Crystal bares enormous fangs in what might be a smile before shrinking back into her usual spritely form. She reaches out, her face close enough for Gigi to see the freckles of glitter along her cheeks, and adjusts the clown hat until it sits askew on Gigi’s head. 

“I have the best idea,” she says, and Gigi likes the way her eyes crinkle when she smiles. Without waiting for a response, she takes Gigi’s hand in her own and pulls her deep into the clutter, cloven hooves clicking on the hard concrete. 

Gigi feels tiny in the forest of steel, a rainbow of fabrics and toys and books spilling from the shelves like unkempt vegetation. The warehouse is like a world all its own - a whispered secret, a breathless discovery, that belongs to her and Crystal and nobody else. Crystal’s soft palm is warm in hers, and for the first time since she’s been here, Gigi allows herself to feel at ease. 

“Here we are!” Crystal says, and Gigi can’t help but be disappointed when she tugs her hand free, swiftly scaling the shelf. She pushes box after box onto the ground, watching as they succumb to gravity and spill feathers and frills, buttons and bows, all over the floor. When she’s done, she peers over the edge at Gigi, and the sparkle in her eyes is still bright even from this far away. “Welcome to the costume aisle!”

“What are we going to do, play dress-up?” 

“Well, yeah! I thought it would be something fun to do while we wait,” Crystal beams, leaping easily back down to the ground. “Don’t you think?”

All of the people Gigi tried to call her ‘friends’ would have sneered at her if she proposed this idea to them. But standing here now, looking at Crystal’s earnest grin and her mismatched ruff and jacket, Gigi throws all her doubts to the wind, letting her face stretch into a bright smile. The six-year-old girl in her who always wanted to be a princess has woken up again, and Gigi can feel her childlike excitement radiating through her skin. 

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Crystal chuckles, picking up a sparkling green jacket and draping it over Gigi’s shoulders. “Beautiful. It matches your hat.” 

In return, Gigi finds a flower crown among the mess and places it gently on Crystal’s head. The warm yellows and pinks of the petals bring out the jewel tones in her face, and for a moment, Gigi can only stop and stare. Crystal’s cheeks blossom with gold under her gaze, dark lips quirking in a shy smile. 

“You look gorgeous,” Gigi tells her, flicking her lightly in the forehead. 

Crystal giggles. “And you look ridiculous.”

“Hey! You said I looked beautiful just a second ago!”

“Yeah, nah.” Turning away, Crystal rummages through the overturned boxes. “I can do better than that. Didn’t spend a decade here for nothing.” 

Gigi laughs, watching as Crystal tosses aside various garments and accessories, clearly dissatisfied with everything she’s finding. Finally, she sits back on her hooves with a sound of delight - she’s clutching something in rippling shades of blue like the ocean, and Gigi’s curiosity piques. 

“Look at these!” Turning around, Crystal proudly holds out a denim top and jeans. “They’ll look so good on you, I’m sure of it… the blue matches your eyes.” 

She presses the garments into Gigi’s hands. The denim is soft and worn, the seams fraying at the edges, but the pieces have clearly been put together with care. Gigi holds up the bottoms to admire the craftsmanship: from the knees down, strips of denim in different shades have been sewn together to create the illusion of something like a circus top. She’s never seen anything like this before, but she’s immediately captivated. 

“I think I chose well,” Crystal comments beside her, pride seeping in through the edges of her voice. 

“You did! I’m curious, though… how did all this” - Gigi gestures outwards at the mess - “even end up here?” Even the jacket on her shoulders seems like it could have been expensive, if moths hadn’t already eaten at the inner lining. 

Crystal shrugs, as though the question has never occurred to her before. “I guess it’s just all old stuff nobody wants anymore. No-one’s ever come to pick it up - most of it looked like it had been used before I got here, anyways.”

“This place is like a treasure trove,” Gigi breathes, finally realising the value of what she’s stumbled into. 

“Really?” Crystal asks, dubious. 

“Yeah! It’s like a time capsule. Imagine what else is in here! There’s so much stuff to draw inspiration from.”

“Ohh, like fashion inspiration?” Understanding dawns in Crystal’s eyes. “Are you, like, a designer?”

“I want to be,” Gigi admits. “It’s… kind of a dream of mine.”

“Well then, I’m very happy to be of assistance. Now go try on those things before Nicky gets here!” Crystal exclaims, shooing Gigi away. 

Ducking into the next aisle, Gigi changes into the denim outfit, fluffing out the waves in her auburn hair until it neatly frames her face. The denim top is off-the-shoulder, long sleeves hugging her arms, and Gigi feels beautiful. 

“I’m coming back,” she calls out. There’s a squeak of excitement in response and when she turns the corner, Crystal is waiting expectantly, an obscene amount of colourful beaded necklaces piled on top of her ruff.

“Oh my gosh!” she squeals, bounding up to Gigi, every step punctuated by the loud clicking of plastic beads. “You look gorgeous! I was right, this really suits you. Blue is definitely your colour.” 

“Thank you,” Gigi replies, warm with Crystal’s effervescent compliments. Gesturing to Crystal’s neck, she asks, “what’s all this?” 

Her tone must be overflowing with amusement, because Crystal grins, as cheerfully radiant as the pearl-white lights above them. “Aren’t they awesome? I _love_ accessories. Hey, I should find some for you!” 

Without waiting for a reply, Crystal picks out a string of beads from around her own neck and puts them on Gigi, soft hands brushing her bare shoulders. The necklace is a gorgeous cyan with a large beaded flower, crystalline blues and silvers emblazoned across Gigi’s chest. There’s a tenderness in Crystal’s eyes when she stands back to look at Gigi, who strikes a pose, feeling like Crystal’s gaze has stripped her right down to her core. 

They both stiffen at a sudden banging from the front of the warehouse. There’s a metallic creaking and an accented voice permeates the air, calling Gigi’s name. 

She drops her pose immediately, rushing from Crystal’s side towards the pool of golden sun collecting in the doorway. There’s a person standing there, outlined by the light, and Gigi has never been happier to see anyone in her life. Lunging at Nicky, she winds her arms tightly around her shoulders, breathing in the sweet French vanilla scent of her. 

“Nicky. Oh my god, I’m so happy to see you.” 

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Nicky whispers against her hair. “I was so worried. I was scared if I didn’t get here fast enough--”

“Shh.” Leaning back, Gigi can see the stark worry pooling in Nicky’s gorgeous eyes. “It’s okay. I’m okay. Thank you for coming to get me.” Her throat is tight with gratitude and joy at seeing Nicky’s face again. Gigi has missed her, has never felt so lucky to know someone in her life. Guilt rips at the edges of her heart as she thinks about all those times Nicky was her second choice, when she left her hanging to go running off after people who should have mattered less. And yet, Nicky is still here, still looking at Gigi with that genuine care and adoration. Gigi hugs her again, holds her close, never wants to let her go. 

Eventually, a gentle tap on her shoulder gets Gigi to move again. Drawing back from Nicky, she turns and meets earnest red eyes - it’s Crystal, shyly holding out her clothes.

“Don’t leave these behind,” she says, pressing the balled-up fabric into Gigi’s hands. “And keep the denim… you look beautiful.” She hesitates, takes a quiet breath. “It was really nice spending time with you. Thank you.” There’s unsaid words in the warmth of her gaze, touching Gigi with strokes of sunshine gold. 

“Thank you too,” she whispers, wrapping Crystal in a hug. She squeaks in surprise before reciprocating, enveloping Gigi in her velvet touch. 

“Are you Crystal?” Nicky cuts in after a moment, and Crystal reluctantly steps back, nodding silently.

Nicky’s gentle face has gone tense, her lips pursed, and Gigi sees steel in her wintry eyes. She jumps between them, opening her mouth to say something, _anything,_ to dispel the tension.

And then Nicky smiles. 

“Thank you for looking after her,” she says cordially to Crystal, before throwing an arm across Gigi’s shoulders and tapping her on the nose. “God knows this dumb bitch can’t do anything for herself.” 

There’s sincere humour behind the words, and Gigi laughs, pushing her away. “You’re so mean. I hate you.” 

“It was my pleasure,” Crystal giggles. “It’s lovely to finally meet you, Nicky. Gigi told me a lot about you.” 

“Did she really?” Nicky quirks a curious, playful eyebrow at Gigi. “What did she say?” 

“Only good things,” Crystal assures her. 

“Ah, très bien. I’d be surprised if she found anything bad to say about me - I’m far too fabulous.” 

Crystal laughs. “Gigi was right - you _are_ fun.” 

“Well, what can I say? I can’t tell a lie to save my life,” Gigi chuckles. 

Nicky snorts, and Crystal hides an amused smile behind her fist. After a moment, they lapse into a comfortable silence, before Gigi steps forward and takes both of Crystal’s hands in hers. 

“I guess I should go soon,” she sighs, rubbing her thumbs over Crystal’s knuckles. 

“You’ll come back though, won’t you?”

There’s a tender hopefulness in her tone, in her eyes, that tugs at Gigi’s fragile heartstrings.

“Of course.” She pulls Crystal into another hug, holding her close, holding her tight. “I’ll see you again. I promise.” 

Crystal relaxes into her touch, and Gigi can feel her smiling against her cheek. “I’ll be here.” 

They stand like that for several heartbeats, before Nicky gently rests her hand on Gigi’s shoulder and pulls her back. “We should go,” she whispers. “People are waiting. They’re worried about you.” 

Crystal nods in silent understanding, stepping back, and the air around Gigi goes cold again.

“I’m really glad I met you,” she says, quietly sincere, waving gently as Gigi leaves with her hand in Nicky’s. 

The door falls shut behind them, heavy with finality. Crystal stands alone beneath the harsh white lights, a blossom of hope flaring orange and bright in her chest.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s three years later, and Gigi is going to college to chase her dreams. Unfortunately, the warehouse and the playful spirit that lives in it won’t fit in Gigi’s luggage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m finally back with more magical shenanigans! I’m so sorry this has taken me so long, but I hope the chapter is worth the wait! Thank you again for all the love on Part 1, it really means a lot to me and I’m so glad you all enjoyed it <3
> 
> Thank you so much to DenDenMonMon and Crazy4Kameron for beta-ing!

Gigi wakes to dappled gold and pillowy warmth. She rolls over, careful not to disturb the gentle arm draped across her midsection, and meets eyes as soft as the sky after the first winter snow. 

“Good morning, Miss Goode,” Nicky whispers, a smile in her sleep-heavy voice. Gigi loves the mornings after Nicky stays over, when she can wake up to tender kisses and warm tan skin, to the way Nicky’s eyes seem to sparkle faintly in the half-light.

“Good morning,” she replies softly, their faces close, limbs still entangled. “What’s the time?”

“Nine thirty. I was going to wake you up earlier, but you looked so peaceful.” Nicky’s words are brimming with affection, and it sets Gigi’s heart aflutter. She kisses Nicky again, a brush of butterfly wings at the edge of her mouth, before sliding out of bed and into the crisp morning. 

The boxes lining the walls are a harsh reminder that it’s her last full day here, for tomorrow, she and Nicky will be moving to their new college dorm in preparation for their freshman year. There’s an aching nostalgia beneath her excitement; even if it’s only for a few months at a time, Gigi will be leaving behind her family and all her childhood memories. She’ll be leaving Crystal. 

~

_Gigi laughs as Crystal wraps her up in a white lab coat that’s just a little too tight around the shoulders, smoothing down the rumpled collar with velvet hands._

_“Nearly done,” Crystal says, a playful twinkle in her eyes, and Gigi watches as she gathers handfuls of beaded necklaces from a nearby box and begins to sort through them. This has almost become tradition: every time she dresses Gigi up in the clothes they find in the warehouse, the finishing touch is always a stack of accessories. Gigi doesn’t mind it, but her favourite thing is the way Crystal smiles softly to herself while she picks them out, as though she is making the most important decision in the world._

_She returns, this time, with all the green and orange ones, and puts them on for Gigi with the utmost care._

_“Green for the dress,” she tells her as she works. “And orange to match your pretty hair.”_

_“I look like a crazy doctor,” Gigi admits when she’s done._

_Crystal simply grins, completely unfazed, and hands Gigi a ginger toy cat to finish the look._

_“I did a great job,” she says, half to herself. “Didn’t I, Crazy Doctor Goode?”_

_Gigi snickers, holding the plush cat close._

_“Always the best, Miss Methyd.”_

~

“Are you ready to go?”

“I am, I am, I’m sorry I’m--”

“Don’t be.” Nicky smiles, wrapping an arm around Gigi’s waist and pressing a kiss to her head. “There’s no rush. She won’t mind if we’re a little bit late.”

“I know, I just wanted to be there earlier so we could spend more time together.” She rifles through her bag, double checking everything. 

“I understand that.” 

Gigi exhales when her fingers brush a package wrapped in soft tissue. 

“I’m ready. Let’s go.” 

~

_The warehouse door rattles with the late autumn chill, but Gigi hardly notices, curled up in the warmth of an old beanbag with Crystal’s favourite candles burning nearby. The warehouse smells sweetly of caramel, the firelight shivering as Crystal flicks her fingers through it, mesmerised._

_“I’m done,” Gigi says, and Crystal looks up immediately, eyes bright with excitement. Gigi hands over her sketchbook and Crystal studies it for a moment before her body begins to shift. Her red hair spills into auburn waves as her ruff disappears, smooth skin and a colourful dress quickly replacing her glittering fur. The crystalline scarlet of her eyes twists into a stormcloud blue and, quite suddenly, Gigi is looking at herself._

_“I love the colours,” Crystal murmurs with Gigi’s mouth, running slender fingers up one blue-and-yellow plaid sleeve. The dress skims the tops of her thighs, ivory buttons gleaming, and she’s wearing a pair of chunky white heels with gauzy socks pulled over her knees. It amazes Gigi, how Crystal can so effortlessly bring each of her sketches to life._

_She has to admit, though, that she has never gotten used to seeing Crystal wearing her face. Crystal insists on it - “you should see what you would look like in your own design,” she always says, and Gigi doesn’t usually argue._

_“I want to see how you would look in it, too,” she tells Crystal this time. Crystal stops midway through a spin - she seems to be enjoying the little flared skirt - and stares thoughtfully at Gigi._

_“Okay,” she agrees, her body morphing back into its usual form, red fur bright against the spring plaid. “How do I look?”_

_Gigi hides her smile behind her hand. “Gorgeous,” she says. “Very colourful.”_

_“Perfect.” Crystal curtsies clumsily, stumbling in her high heels, and Gigi snickers as Crystal falls into her lap._

_“Stop laughing at me,” she whines, but there’s humour laced through her voice as she flicks Gigi over the head with her tail. “I don’t know how you deal with having legs like this. They’re so stiff!”_

_“I don’t know how you deal with not having feet,” Gigi counters. “Besides, you were spinning around without a problem earlier - you’re just embarrassed that you tripped over.”_

_Crystal rolls over in Gigi’s lap to face her, eyes wide with mock offense. “I can’t believe you would call me out like that!” She gasps before falling limp, the back of her hand pressed dramatically to her head. “I’m revoking your friendship privileges.”_

_“I’ll get them back eventually,” Gigi says with confidence, tickling her sides. Crystal wheezes, jolting upright to grab Gigi’s shoulders when she nearly squirms off of her lap._

_“And how do you know that?” she queries, her overdramatic act all but forgotten._

_“Because you love me,” Gigi teases. Crystal’s grip is tight, her face a breath away, and for a moment Gigi loses herself to the warmth of her eyes and the way they crinkle at the edges as she breaks into a smile._

_“Okay. That’s a very good point,” Crystal says, tapping Gigi lightly on the nose. “But I’m keeping an eye on you.”_

_“Whatever for?”_

_“You know what for.” Crystal narrows her eyes, still sparkling with playfulness._

_“No, I’m not sure I do, actually.” Gigi flutters her lashes innocently. “But… while you’re here, I do have a question for you.”_

_“Alright…”_

_“What was your favourite design from today?” Gigi reaches to pick up her sketchbook, letting Crystal lie back down in her lap as she flips through it. When she finally stands, Gigi watches with tingling legs as she shifts into a leather biker number, noticing with amusement that she’s even changed her fur to match the bright pastel hues of the outfit._

_Crystal takes a moment to examine herself, toying with the chains dangling from her belt before she makes the silver shinier._

_“Yeah yeah yeah, definitely this one.” She twirls, steady now that she’s no longer wearing shoes, and nearly knocks over a candle with her tail. Gigi can’t help but laugh as Crystal bows dramatically, a giddy smile lighting up her face._

~

Gigi holds Nicky’s hand as they walk up the familiar path to the warehouse. It’s a nice day: it’s sunny, the air blooming as warm as the sparks of flame from Crystal’s palms. Gigi thinks of her, already aching with the nostalgia of her late teenage memories - she’s lived here, surrounded by the same people, for her entire life, and she can’t imagine what college will be like without them. She doesn’t even need to leave to know how much she’ll miss it all. 

But it’s leaving Crystal that hurts the most. She’s the only one Gigi won’t be able to call or text while she’s gone, and she’s the only one without another life to go on with: all she has is her curse, trapping her in the confines of the warehouse. At least there are the breaks, Gigi reminds herself, when she can come back to meet Crystal’s gentle embrace and see the playful joy in her eyes again. She only hopes Crystal will be okay on her own. 

“What are you thinking about?” Nicky asks, swinging their clasped hands. 

“Just…” Gigi hesitates. “Just about the last three years, really.” _About Crystal._ The only part of her childhood she can’t take with her. The words hang unspoken between them.

“You’re going to miss her, aren’t you?” 

“Yeah.” Gigi rests her head on Nicky’s shoulder as they walk, grateful for her company, her quiet understanding, and for the fact that she doesn’t have to leave Nicky behind, too. “You, Crystal and Jackie were like my first real friends. Do you remember that time when I got locked in the warehouse?”

Nicky snorts. “How could I forget?”

“This is going to sound so cheesy, but I guess that was the day that I realised what real friendship is like,” Gigi murmurs. 

“I’m glad you did,” Nicky replies, and there is a heavy layer of seriousness beneath her words. “You stopped trying to be friends with those bullies after you met Crystal. It was such a relief, honestly.” 

Gigi can’t help but snicker. “I was so dumb.”

“You’re still dumb,” Nicky says affectionately. “But that’s why I like you.” 

“You know what? I’m not even going to argue with that.”

“Good,” Nicky laughs, “because if you tried to act all ‘cool’ again, I might have to reconsider this relationship.” 

Gigi draws back, eyes wide with mock offense. “You would never!”

“Try me.” 

“I’m not going to. I like you too much for that.” 

Nicky presses a kiss to her cheek. “Fine by me. I like you a little too much for that, too.” 

Gigi giggles, and they keep walking as road turns to rubble, loose stones crackling beneath their feet. The old warehouse sits, lonely and imposing, at the crest of the hill, its metallic walls gleaming harshly in the morning sun. The sight of it is comfortingly familiar. 

Nicky suddenly bursts out laughing. Gigi swings her head around to look at her, loving the way she tilts her face up to the sun and how it dapples her cheeks with roses.

“What’s so funny?”

“I’m sorry, I was just” - Nicky snorts mid-sentence - “just thinking about that time Crystal pretended to be me. It was so terrible it was funny.” 

Gigi grins at the memory. “Apart from her accent, it was actually pretty accurate,” she teases, laughing when Nicky elbows her playfully. 

“Shut up. I knew you could tell the difference immediately.”

“Not until she started talking,” Gigi counters, still smiling. “I went outside just for a moment, and when I came back…”

~

_There’s two Nickys._

_“Hello, Gigi,” one of them says wryly, her arms crossed over her chest, icy eyes dancing with amusement. The other is crouched on the concrete floor, fixing something on her shoes._

_Gigi’s eyes dart from one Nicky to the other. “Hello,” she says eventually, stifling a smile._

_“Sacré bleu,” growls the Nicky on the ground as she stands. Her French accent is rough, too throaty and harsh to be real, but it doesn’t matter because Gigi can already see that this Nicky is doing everything in her power not to laugh. “You’re an idiot, Gigi. Salope!”_

_“Oh my god, I don’t talk like that,” Nicky sighs with breathless laughter, resting her face in her hands. “And if you’re going to keep using French phrases, I need to teach you to use them properly.”_

_“I think her impression is spot-on,” Gigi giggles._

_“Who? What are you talking about? I’m Nicky, I don’t know who that - who that dumb bitch is.” Nicky jabs her thumb at Nicky, face pinched in an exaggerated expression of distaste. Her rough French accent is falling apart over peals of choked laughter, her shoulders shaking with silent mirth._

_“You can stop now,” Nicky groans, but there’s a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “This is insane--”_

_“Salope!” the other Nicky yells, throwing her arms up in the air with delighted enthusiasm._

~

Gigi is bombarded by a hug the moment the warehouse door swings open. 

Crystal’s fur is practically sparking with excitement as she pulls Nicky into the embrace with her tail. Gigi relaxes into the warmth of their arms, feels Crystal’s smile against her cheek. 

“Oh my gosh, you guys,” Crystal squeals, stepping back, “you’re both going to _college_ tomorrow! You must be so excited!” 

Gigi scans her face, her ruby eyes, for any sign of distress, but Crystal is radiating nothing but sunshine and positivity. Gigi bites her lip.

“We are,” she murmurs. Crystal must hear the hesitance in her voice, because her smile softens as she reaches out to gently pat Gigi on the head. 

“I’m going to miss you,” Crystal whispers, almost reassuringly, but she isn’t looking Gigi in the eye anymore. “I have great news too, though! You won’t believe this, but I’m finally allowed to go back to the spirit realm! My… curse, I guess? It’s been lifted!” 

“That’s - that’s great news,” Gigi says, trying to smile for Crystal, but her voice breaks. She’d known this day would come eventually, when Crystal would finish her task and be whisked away back to the spirit realm for good, but it’s not enough to prepare her for it. She feels Nicky’s arm on her shoulders as Crystal’s joyful expression crumbles like melting ice. Gigi covers her face with one hand, overcome with shame. “Shit. I’m - I’m sorry, I’m really happy for you, but--”

She trails off when Crystal whimpers. Gigi looks up, only to see her bottom lip quivering, her eyes liquid lava. Crystal falls into her arms, sobbing, and Nicky reaches out with a comforting hand as they slide in a heap to the ground. 

“I can’t stand to see you upset,” Crystal sniffles. “I’m going to miss you both so much, you don’t even understand--” 

Gigi chokes down a wave of emotion, struggling to maintain her composure as Crystal cries into her shirt. Even Nicky - stoic, calm Nicky, crouching just beside her - looks like she’s blinking back tears. 

“I - will I ever get to see you again?” Gigi whispers hoarsely. 

“I don’t know.” Crystal’s voice wobbles. “I’ll do my best to come back, I promise, but… there are restrictions.”

“Fuck the rules,” Gigi mutters. “If you’re free now, shouldn’t--”

“I wish it worked like that,” Crystal sighs, cutting her off. “I’m still one of the lower spirits and there are still a ton of rules because… well, I don’t know. I guess they’re worried about us causing too much chaos.”

Nicky jumps into the conversation then, her eyebrow arched in incredulity. “They don’t want you causing chaos in the human realm, and yet they trap you here when you’ve done something wrong? That’s like telling a robber not to steal and then locking them in a bank vault.”

Crystal manages a weak laugh. “It’s so stupid, right?”

“God, I--” Gigi swallows thickly, still holding Crystal close, trying desperately to memorise the way her fur shimmers as it catches the light and how her palms spark with heat every time their hands touch. “I can’t imagine never seeing you again.” Her voice is breaking and she pauses, eyes swimming with tears. “I’m going to miss you so fucking much. Thank you for making the last years of my childhood so wonderful.”

“Aw, don’t get all sappy on me, Miss Gigi.” Crystal’s face is soft with a watery smile as she draws back, hands still clasped around Gigi’s shoulders. “That’s my job, silly.” 

This gets a laugh out of Gigi. “I’m stealing it, just for today.” 

“Yeah. She’s got to get her feelings out now, otherwise she’ll be a mess in the car ride tomorrow,” Nicky comments lightly, rubbing comforting circles into Gigi’s back. 

Crystal giggles. “For real, though, you must be so excited. You’re finally going to fashion school!” 

“I am, I’m really looking forward to it.” Gigi wipes her eyes with the heel of her hand. “It sucks that I can’t take you and the entire warehouse with me, though.” 

“It’s okay. Once you’re there, you’ll be too busy to miss me that much,” Crystal says, but she sounds like she’s reassuring herself as much as Gigi. “And I can finally go home. How good is the timing, though? I got the message just yesterday and begged them for one more day so I could say goodbye.” 

“The greater spirits must think you’re crazy - stuck here for thirteen years, and yet you still want an extra day!” Gigi jokes, a genuine smile creeping onto her face. Crystal always makes her smile.

“Oh, I know! They finally told me what my moral task was, too, and you won’t believe this - empathy! They trapped me here for thirteen years because they thought I was annoying!” 

Gigi sputters out a laugh. “Seriously?”

“Yeah! Apparently I was insufferable beforehand. They were like” - Crystal puts her hands on her hips and adds a gruff edge to her voice, pinching her brows - “oh, yeah, took you long enough to learn to care about others and stop being such a little brat even though we never told you what the problem was, so, uh, we guess you can come home now.” 

“What did you do to piss them off so much?” Gigi asks incredulously. Despite her numerous conversations with Crystal over the course of three years, she doesn’t think she’s heard anything worthy of a decade-long banishment. 

“I can only imagine,” Nicky snickers. 

“Hey, shut up,” Crystal giggles. “It was kind of like what I was doing here, before I met you - pulling pranks on people just for the laughs, except I was always the only one laughing… Oh, and I guess Rock was too, except she must be a lot more _empathetic_ , because apparently she finished her task five years ago.” 

Gigi remembers hearing about Rock: Crystal’s best friend from the spirit realm, equally as spritely and just as much of a prankster. According to Crystal, they got on like a house on fire. 

“You must be excited to see her again,” she murmurs.

“Yeah. I doubt she made friends as good as you two, though,” Crystal says, gazing at Gigi and Nicky with unadulterated warmth and affection. “I can’t wait to tell her about you guys. She’s going to be _so_ jealous of all the fun we had.” 

“I’ll give you something more for her to be jealous of,” Gigi says, biting back a grin at the way Crystal’s eyebrows shoot up with eager curiosity. She feels for the bulky weight in her bag and pulls out a package, delicately wrapped in orange tissue paper. Crystal’s fur is practically sizzling with excitement as Gigi deposits the gift in her waiting hands. 

She tears the paper away with gusto, revealing a motorcycle jacket made of soft leather. It’s a sleek ebony with a red satin inner lining, crimson leather popping at the collar. Crystal toys with the silver buckles before letting out a quiet gasp when she turns the jacket around: her name is embroidered into the leather, red and silver letters gleaming bright against the midnight black.

“Did you make this?” she whispers as she hugs it to her chest, staring at Gigi, wide-eyed with wonder.

“You should’ve seen her,” Nicky says warmly. “She spent hours obsessing over it… she wanted it to be perfect.”

“And it is.” Crystal’s voice is choked with emotion, fresh tears welling at her eyes. “It’s more than perfect… Oh, Gigi, I love it, I’m never going to take it off.” In one swift movement, she slides the jacket onto her shoulders, unable to stop admiring the immaculate craftsmanship.

“I’m glad you like it,” Gigi murmurs. She can’t help but swell with pride at the awe and disbelief blossoming across Crystal’s face - all the long nights she put into finishing the garment feel more than worth it, just for this moment. 

“Are you kidding? This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me,” Crystal gushes, pulling Gigi into another hug. “I’m going to wear it all the time so I can think of you every day, and all the other spirits will wish _they_ were banished for thirteen years just so they could have something as cool as this.” 

Gigi laughs. “Make sure to emphasise that it’s hand-made and one-of-a-kind. They’ll be _really_ jealous then.” 

“Oh, I will!” Crystal promises. “Thank you so much, Gigi. It’s so gorgeous! I can’t believe you made it just for me... it even has my _name_ on it!” 

“Do you remember the last time you were shapeshifting into all of my outfit ideas?” Gigi asks her. 

Crystal nods emphatically.

“I remember you said your favourite was the leather biker one,” Gigi says, a smile in her voice, “so I made something similar, just more fitting to your colour scheme. Now, you don’t need to turn yourself all pink and yellow.” 

Crystal’s cheeks flare gold like she’s been kissed by sunlight. “That’s so _sweet_ ,” she squeals, looking like she’s about to cry again. 

Nicky shuffles closer, resting a steady hand on both Gigi and Crystal’s shoulders. “Seeing as this is our last day together,” she says gently, “do you guys want to do something fun?” 

~

_“But, Gigi, our exams--”_

_“Shush, you’ve been stressing non-stop for three weeks! Give yourself a break,” Gigi says, pausing when she sees Jackie’s dubious expression. “Fine, we’ll revise later. But Crystal’s been dying to meet you, so you’re not getting out of this.”_

_She leads Jackie to the warehouse, pushing open the door to the charcoal scent of fire… and a lightshow._

_Sparks sizzle, shooting up like fireworks until they bounce off the high ceiling and shower the room in a cascade of embers. A ball of scalding gold begins to take shape in the midst of the firestorm, twisting as it expands and splits into two. Behind it, Crystal’s face is illuminated with rippling light, orange flames dancing in her eyes._

_She hasn’t noticed them yet. Gigi watches, breathless with awe, as Crystal juggles the fiery orbs between her fingers with unparalleled dexterity. Finally, she closes her fists, plunging the room into a muted darkness still spitting with dying embers--_

_And then flames shoot up her arms, flaring outwards in a plume of scarlet and gold. The jewel tones of Crystal’s fur are amplified, as though her soul is incandescent, blazing through her skin._

_She raises her arms with a fiery_ swoosh _and suddenly, she’s a phoenix, as the topaz flames streaking from her arms billow into brilliant wings._

_“Woah,” Jackie breathes, and Gigi can only nod in agreement, lost for words. She’s never been exposed to the true scope of Crystal’s powers before, and stars, how she wishes she had. Crystal is beautiful, shrouded in fire - she looks confident, commanding… she is electrifying._

_She is nothing short of a goddess, and Gigi can’t tear her gaze away._

_Then Crystal turns, tongues of flame still surging from her arms and back. Gigi takes a moment to admire her, her soft jaw alight with warm gold, before Crystal’s face cracks with realisation._

_She’s seen them. In an instant, the flames vanish, leaving nothing but a handful of embers sizzling on the cold concrete floor. The building is abruptly plunged back into a colourless darkness._

_A moment later, the warehouse lights flicker to life, and Gigi blinks as her eyes adjust._

_“Hi, Gigi!” Crystal waves cheerfully from the lightbox before bouncing over. “And you must be Jackie, right? It’s so good to finally meet you!”_

_“Crystal! That was incredible!” Gigi gushes, unable to stop herself, her intentions of formally introducing Crystal to Jackie momentarily forgotten. “How come you’ve never done it before?”_

_“Oh, uh…” Crystal scratches the back of her neck, suddenly shy. “It’s just a thing I’ve been practicing. I didn’t think you’d like it - the last time I did something like that with people around, they, uh… they started burning.” She bites her lip sheepishly as Jackie grimaces. “I think they survived. I mean, they must have, they were okay enough to run away screaming.”_

_“Ah. Well.” Gigi frowns, not quite sure what to do with this new information. “I thought--”_

_“Wait, I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Crystal’s eyes are round with worry as she runs up to delicately cup Gigi’s face, checking it for burns, before her gaze flickers to Jackie. “Crap, what an awful first impression. I’m so sorry.”_

_Gigi’s throat tightens as Crystal steps back, her shoulders drooping with shame. She looks so tiny compared to the whirlwind creature of flame that lit up the warehouse mere moments ago, Gigi almost doesn’t recognise her._

_“We’re alright.” Gigi moves closer to hold both of her hands, comfortingly rubbing her thumbs over Crystal’s knuckles. “It was a beautiful show, Crystal. You’re very talented.”_

_“Really?” she seems to brighten, then, dark lips quirking up in the beginnings of a smile._

_“If you don’t mind me asking…” Jackie interrupts, startling them both, “how did you do that, Crystal? When Gigi said you could control fire, I thought she was exaggerating, but… wow.”_

_Crystal’s smile stretches into a grin, so unreserved and genuine that it makes Gigi’s chest flare with warmth. Crystal wears happiness well._

_“Magic,” she tells Jackie easily._

_Gigi can’t help but giggle when Jackie’s eyebrows crease in disbelief. Crystal meets Gigi’s gaze, her face flashing with delight, before she steps back and transforms into the thing of legends: a creature made entirely of ice cream._

_“Magic,” she says again, her voice slightly more garbled now as ice cream drips down her chin. Jackie’s eyes look like they’re about to bulge out of their sockets, and Gigi almost chokes on her own laughter._

~

They take the long way home, skirting the town, following the lines of trees flanking the unpaved road. Nicky drives, humming softly to the pop music pounding through the car as Gigi shifts uncomfortably in her seat. 

She knows that Crystal won’t be there. She knows that she’ll open the warehouse door to be met with a dark silence, colder now that Crystal’s warmth and energy is gone, the faint smell of caramel still lingering if she breathes in deep enough. Gigi knows this, but she still wanted - no, she _insisted_ on coming this way, even if it’s just so she can stand there one more time and let the memories sink into her skin. 

They turn a corner, and Gigi’s heart plummets. 

She blinks, sure that she’s hallucinating, but the warehouse is no longer silhouetted against the crystalline sky; instead, there are enormous yellow machines, whirring and crunching through what’s left. Gigi’s skin prickles with how hauntingly _wrong_ this is, and it takes her a moment to realise she’s shaking.

The car stops on the side of the road and Gigi feels Nicky’s arm snake around her shoulders, pulling her into a hug across the centre console. Gigi presses her nose into Nicky’s neck, breathing in the familiar French vanilla scent of her.

“I’m sorry, baby,” Nicky murmurs, stroking her hair. 

“I knew she wasn’t going to be there. But…” The words tremble, bitter and acrid on Gigi’s tongue. “But this… this makes it all _worse_.” 

She can’t even bring herself to hate the childish whine that’s crept into the edges of her voice. The biggest reminder of Crystal she had left in her life is now gone, and all their memories swept away with it, reduced to rubble. Gigi feels its absence like a stab through the chest.

“I know.” Nicky’s words are weighted with grief. Her embrace is tight, cozy, and Gigi sinks into it as a heavy silence falls over the car. 

Several heartbeats pass before Nicky draws back again, gently brushing her thumb along Gigi’s jaw. “Let’s go home,” she murmurs. “We can stop for ice cream or something on the way back, if you want.” 

“Wait. I… I want to stand there one last time.”

“Are you sure?” Nicky’s eyes flash with doubt, but Gigi is already pushing open the door, stepping out into the crunch of gravel. She looks back at Nicky and nods, just once. 

“One last time,” she says again. “Come on, Nicky. Let’s go say good-bye.” 

Nicky hesitates before sliding out of the drivers’ seat, taking Gigi’s hand in her own as they traipse up the hill. There are fences everywhere now, dotted with neon warning signs barring people from getting too close.

_It’s not like anyone even comes here, anyways,_ Gigi thinks to herself. _Anyone but us._

She lets out a heavy breath as she scans the wreckage. Sheets of metal and demolished shelving planks are piled in a heap, ready to be removed; the boxes of toys and clothes and _things_ that Crystal loved so much are gone, and with them - and her - all the colour and liveliness of the place has disappeared too. It seems, quite suddenly, like a memory from another lifetime, and the ground that Gigi stands upon is now unfamiliar. 

She feels Nicky squeeze her hand as she closes her eyes, remembering the golden days when she’d run up into Crystal’s arms and meet the sunshine in her pearly smile. She holds the memories close in her chest, resurrecting them over the cold, lifeless sight that now lies before her. 

A warm breeze whisks around them, stirring up the long grass at Gigi’s feet. For a moment, it feels as though Crystal has her arms around Gigi’s shoulders again, grinning against her cheek. 

Gigi swallows down the lump in her throat. 

“Goodbye, Crystal,” she whispers to the sky, and when she turns around, she doesn’t look back. 

Nicky drives her home, leaving her at the doorway with a gentle kiss and a glaze in her eyes that might be pity. Gigi kisses her back and watches the car disappear before she knocks on the door, three times, breaking into a genuine smile when she sees her parents’ joyous faces. It hits her when she falls into her mother’s embrace how much she’s missed the comforts of her childhood home and her family; no amount of FaceTime calls could make up for this cosy sense of security, this unconditional love.

It feels so good to be home. 

When she sits with them at the table, armed with a plate full of fresh biscuits and a hundred stories, she forgets to be sad. Instead, she loses herself in the laughter and the easy conversation. 

Later, she opens the door to her bedroom, dizzy with the events of the day. She’s more than ready to finally relax, after the long drive home and the churning horror of seeing the ruined warehouse. A part of her still refuses to believe that it’s gone: to Gigi, it will always be Crystal’s warehouse.

She blinks herself out of her trance and finds herself standing by her old wardrobe. Throwing open its doors, she runs her hand through the rows of old clothes and outfits that didn’t make it to her college dorm. 

Her fingers brush soft, worn denim and she stops. 

It’s the outfit from the day she met Crystal.

Gigi pulls it out, suddenly choked up. In her mind’s eye, she sees Crystal, flower crown sitting crookedly around her horns as she smiles. She can still hear her bluebell laughter and the loud clicking of an obscene number of beaded necklaces. 

She traces her fingers over the seams, smiling at the memories, still crisp and clear despite the years that have passed. Crystal might be gone, but seeing these reminders fills Gigi with so much joy that the ache of missing her doesn’t hurt quite so much. 

After another moment of silent reminiscing, Gigi hangs the denim outfit back up in her wardrobe and continues to rifle through the rows of colourful garments. In the shock of seeing the warehouse torn apart, she’d forgotten the collection of things Crystal had given her to take home over the years. The denim number was only the first. 

Gigi can’t help but giggle when she finds three plastic takeaway boxes stuffed with accessories. If anything reminds her of Crystal, it’s this: she loved her jewellery more than anything else.

_“There can always be more,”_ she once said sagely, handing Gigi a stack of necklaces. _“More is more, and more is… better.”_

Sliding the boxes out of her wardrobe, Gigi goes to sit on her bed and--

“Shit!” 

She scrambles up as though she’s been burned; there’s something beneath the covers, something that seems to crackle beneath her weight. Whatever it is, she’s sure it’s not supposed to be there. Leaving the boxes of jewellery on her bedside table, she gingerly draws back the sheets. 

She nearly cries when she sees it, messily folded, still wrinkled through the sleeves. Her breath catches in her throat when she picks it up, holding it as though it’s made of glass. The bird on the front looks like it might be smiling. 

It’s Crystal’s favourite beaded jacket.

She’d pulled it out of a box when Gigi first met her, and she wore it for the rest of the day. Gigi smiles when she remembers how adorably ridiculous Crystal looked, with the colourful patterned jacket and a green-and-gold clown hat, and almost laughs when she thinks back on her own fear. It’s hard to imagine being scared of Crystal now.

Something falls out from between the folds of the jacket when Gigi opens it up, catching her eye as it drifts down to her bed. It’s a sheet of paper, scrawled over with tight, blocky letters. 

_Hi Gigi!_

_I kind of timed this really badly because you don’t seem to be back from your big fancy college yet, and if I could figure out where that is, that would be awesome, but the fact is that I have absolutely no idea. Am I rambling? I think I’m rambling._

_Stars, Gigi, I miss you so much you have no idea. I’ve been wearing the jacket you made for me every single day and it’s so comfy and beautiful and honestly, I might not be a high-ranking spirit, but I’m definitely one of the coolest. If not_ the _coolest. So thank you for that!_

_Oh, and Rock wants to say hi, by the way. She’s super jealous of my jacket (as expected) and she wants one too, but I told her she could only have one if she became as close with you as I did. She just told me I sucked. Whatever! I’m still the one with the epic jacket._

_Speaking of which, I wanted to leave you something to remember me by too, so here’s my old favourite jacket. It’s really special to me because I was wearing it the first time you came to the warehouse, and I want you to have it now. Can you believe how much things have changed since then? I remember how scared you were and how lonely I was, and somehow we ended up being best friends. I’m really happy we did. Those were some of the best years of my existence, and I’ll treasure them forever._

_I’d better wrap this up quick, I can hear footsteps outside your door. I don’t think your family would be too pleased to see a spirit lurking in your bedroom, even if they know who I am! I hope you’ve had the BEST time at college and that I can get permission to come visit your realm again (hopefully when you’re actually back home, so you can tell me all about fashion school!)_

_Okay, I really should go._

_I miss you!!! <3 <3 <3 <3  
_

_Love, Crystal_

The note is enough for the dam in Gigi’s eyes to finally break. Trembling with emotion, she slides onto the floor, hugging the jacket and the note so close against her chest that she hears the paper crinkle. 

Everything about it feels so wonderfully _Crystal_ , from her fast, messy scrawl to the doodles lining the margins of the page. Gigi reads the note again through blurred eyes, treasuring every word, unable to wipe away her smile even when her cheeks begin to ache. She doesn’t know whether or not Crystal saw the ruins of the warehouse, but suddenly it doesn’t seem to matter. All that’s important is that she managed to come back, and that she still misses Gigi as fiercely as Gigi misses her. 

And now, Gigi has another sliver of her, another glorious memory brought to life in fabric and colourful buttons. The statement piece of a collection. 

It still smells of embers and caramel candles. 

~

_She returns the very next weekend._

_The door creaks loudly on rusted hinges when she pushes it open and timidly looks inside, only to be met with darkness._

_“Hello?”_

_Her voice echoes once before there’s an enormous crash, followed by the clicking of hooves on hard concrete. A moment later, Crystal appears, half of her face illuminated by the stripe of sunlight through the door._

_“You came back!” she squeals, bouncing giddily on the spot, her fur shimmering with crimson stardust._

_“I told you I would,” Gigi says, a smile forming on her face of its own accord. “I have something to show you that I think you might like.”_

_“Ooh!” Crystal claps her hands in excitement, and fiery sparks spray onto the ground. “Hold on, let me get the lights. I keep them off, usually, because I read somewhere that they’re not friendly to your planet.”_

_Gigi hums in agreement and watches as her grey silhouette darts across to the lightboard. A moment later, the room is washed in pearly white, reigniting the sparkles in Crystal’s hair. She’s beaming, her face alight with elation, and Gigi can’t help but grin too._

_“You’re still wearing the jacket,” she comments, stepping into the warehouse and letting the door swing shut behind her. This time, the loud_ CLANG _doesn’t make her jump._

_“Oh, yeah.” Sheepishly, Crystal toys with the edges of the colourful garment, tracing the white patterns on the sleeves. “It makes me think of how much fun I had when you were here, and that makes me happy.”_

_She looks unusually shy, her eyes trained on the floor as her tail twitches behind her. Gigi closes the distance between them and gently adjusts Crystal’s collar, the plastic beads cool beneath her fingertips._

_“It suits you,” Gigi tells her warmly. Crystal finally looks up, her candy-apple eyes swimming with what might be incredulity or a wonderstruck elation._

_Perhaps it’s both, Gigi thinks, digging around in her pocket for her phone. Crystal is watching her as though she isn’t quite sure whether or not Gigi is real, and that familiar pity wedges itself between her ribs._

_“The thing I want to show you today is called Snapchat,” Gigi explains, opening the app. “It has tons of filters that we can mess around with.”_

_“Filters?” Crystal asks, perplexed, as she peers over Gigi’s shoulder. “Filters for what?”_

_“For your face.” Gigi suppresses a smile when Crystal scrunches up her nose in confusion. “Here, I’ll show you.”_

_She picks the infamous dog filter and tilts her phone until they’re both on the screen. A moment later, canine ears and noses appear on their faces, and Crystal starts back in surprise._

_“That’s us!” She gasps, gaze darting between Gigi, her phone, and back again in disbelief. “But - but how does that work?” Frantically, she pats her face, feeling her nose and ears and horns, watching with wide eyes as her hands phase through the dog ears on screen._

_Gigi bursts into laughter. “I told you, it’s a filter,” she giggles. “The phone scans your face and puts the filter over it, so it_ looks _like you’re a dog, even though you’re not.”_

_“Oh.” Crystal lets her hands fall, and Gigi can almost see the thoughts spinning behind her ruby eyes. “So humans invented a way to… to pretend that they can shapeshift?”_

_“Yeah, pretty much.”_

_It seems to click, then, and Crystal’s face lights up with amazement._

_“That’s so cool!” she exclaims, stealing Gigi’s phone and peering eagerly at her dog-eared self. “Hey, why did my ears change? I liked the spotty ones!”_

_“I’ll have the spotty ones now,” Gigi says, shifting until she’s back in the frame and the black-and-white ears appear on her face. “Wait, watch this.” She opens her mouth, and Crystal’s eyes bulge when a long tongue unfurls on the screen. A moment later, Crystal follows suit, howling with excitement when she gets her own dog tongue._

_“Are there any more of these ‘filters?’” she asks eagerly, her gaze still on the phone as she pulls faces at herself._

_“Yeah! There’s plenty. If you give me my--”_

_“Wait! I just had the best idea,” Crystal interrupts, tossing the phone back to Gigi before running off. Gigi scrambles to catch it, blinking confusedly as Crystal disappears between the shelves._

_“Crystal?” she calls out in concern, but all she hears in response is the scraping sound of something being dragged along the floor, before Crystal comes back around the corner with a large bean bag in tow._

_“I found this again the other day,” she explains as she proudly deposits it in front of Gigi. “I thought that… if you came back, maybe we could use it. And here you are!” She throws her arms out for emphasis before flopping down into the bean bag, sending a spray of dust up after her. “It’s been here a while,” she adds, apologetically, when Gigi sneezes._

_“That’s fine.” Gigi waves dust particles away from her face before taking a delicate seat on the bean bag. Crystal promptly grabs her shoulders, pulling her backwards until her entire weight is settled in the soft plush, curled up close to Crystal’s side._

_“There. Perfect.” Crystal turns her head to grin at Gigi, breath warm on Gigi’s nose. “Now you can show me more of your filters!”_

_Gigi scrolls through the options as Crystal leans against her shoulder, the beads on her jacket pressing into Gigi’s arm. Finally, Gigi raises her phone above their faces, capturing them both in the frame, and--_

_Crystal shrieks with laughter, her hands flying to her face. She taps her nose, pulls at the corners of her mouth, snickering when the image on the phone mirrors her actions… except the miniature Crystal reflected back at her has Gigi’s crystalline eyes and button nose, whilst Gigi’s cheeks are glittering with gold, dark lips stretched around a grin._

_“Wow, Gigi, you look_ especially _lovely today,” Crystal giggles, pointing at Gigi’s face on the screen. “Red really suits you.”_

_“Why thank you,” Gigi replies graciously. “You don’t look half bad yourself.”_

_“I know, right? I should wear blue eyes more often.” She sits up in the beanbag as her features begin to change, and a moment later, Gigi finds herself staring… at herself._

_“This is so fucking weird,” she says slowly, unable to stop a smile from pulling at the corners of her lips._

_“Thank you. I live to please.” Crystal flicks her hair, still red and sparkling, over her ruff._

_Gigi chuckles, lost for words. Crystal’s power is astonishing - when Gigi meets her eyes, it’s like looking in a mirror. It sends a strange shiver up her spine, but when Crystal grins shyly, glossy lips gleaming under the warehouse lights, Gigi can’t help but smile back._

~

Oh, what she wouldn’t give to see Crystal’s smile again. That endearingly playful smile was the only thing that never changed, even as her body shifted into all sorts of weird and wonderful things. Gigi hugs the jacket to her chest, tears streaming freely down her face in the privacy of her bedroom.

She recalls the paradise sunset of that second weekend, when she turned around on her way down the hill to see Crystal’s shimmering form silhouetted in the doorway, the amalgamation of colours on her jacket visible even from a distance. When Gigi thinks of the warehouse, she doesn’t see the wreckage and the big machines; instead, she remembers the glorious sunlight on the edge of Crystal’s face that afternoon, remembers how Crystal breathed life and excitement into everything she touched. She remembers how every day from then, the promise of her return hung silently in the air, sparkling gold and bright.


End file.
